The new JetBlack 24 Hour Solo Elite Champion is Chris Hanson from Darwin! More than 500 riders were at the start at The Australian Botanic Garden, Mt Annan at Rocky Trail's fifth JetBlack 24 Hour race on the weekend and in the sweltering heat the passionate endurance rider from the Northern Territory deals with the afternoon temperatures in the high 30's the best. Benjy Morris from Shelley Beach (NSW) comes in second and Kevin Pullen from South Australia claims the third place. The JetBlack 24 Hour event also hosted the Mercedes-Benz Vans Huntingwood 6+6 Hour race and Andrew Hall from Canberra took out the solo win.
The heatwave that paralysed the Sydney region didn’t turn out to be as hot as predicted in the event lead up, however, as more than 500 riders and their support crews arrived at The Australian Botanic Garden, Mt Annan on Saturday, it was clear that they were in for a tough race. As temperatures soared into the high 30’s the race went underway at midday and race marshals, first aid crews and garden rangers were out on track and on stand-by to assist riders.
“As race organisers, our main concern was the safety of our riders”, said Martin Wisata, race director from Rocky Trail Entertainment. “We kept reminding our riders to drink and to take extra water with them out on track. To ride for 24 hours non-stop is extreme to start with and the high temperatures were a real challenge for riders and support crews alike. We had showers installed and routed the race track right past them so that also the solo riders could get a quick cool-down in between laps.” Overall the participants had coped with the hot conditions well Wisata added and explained that mid-afternoon the decision was made to take the junior riders off the track to give them a rest.
Racer from Darwin embraces heat
It was one of the interstate riders that dealt with the hot conditions the best. Chris Hanson from Rapid Creek was in his element and took out the 2012 JetBlack 24 Hour Solo Elite title, completing 40 laps on the 8.5 km course at The Australian Botanic Garden, Mt Annan.
“I’m from Darwin so I know what the hot weather can do and what it is like to ride in temperatures like this”, said the 37-year old experienced endurance racer across the finish line. “I tried to pace myself during the day and when it started to cool down in the evening I felt really good and could put in some fast laps”, he added. Of the race track the commercial pilot said that it had been one of the best 24-hour courses he had ever ridden and very different from the flat circuits he was used to back home in the Northern Territory.
Right from the start Hanson had been riding in the top three with Andrew Lloyd from Newcastle leading the pack all afternoon and Sam Chancellor from Victoria on the chase. As night fell, Andrew Lloyd cracked and Chancellor took over the lead.
“Early on it seemed that some of the riders got really excited and smashed it, however, I tried to pace myself during the first hot hours on Saturday, but at night suddenly I hit the wall”, said Chancellor whose energy levels drastically dropped around midnight and an upset stomach forced him to retire from the race in the early hours of Sunday morning.
It was then that Chris Hanson’s strategy came through for him and by 6 am him and Benji Morris from the Central Coast were on an equal number of 29 lap, with Hanson having a 15 minute gap on Morris, who had finished as third solo elite racer at the JetBlack 24H race in 2011. Kevin Pullen from Hallet Cove (SA) was closing in as well, riding onto the third position on 24 laps up from being sixth overnight and the entire event centre saw an interstate solo battle unfold.
Social racing with Rocky Trail
More than a third of the entire field of racers competed in the Mercedes-Benz Vans Huntingwood 6+6 Hour racing categories. Promoted as the “more social” racing options the riders got to take a break overnight before recommencing their race from 6 am on Sunday morning. Many riders used the opportunity to stay in one of the many hotels of the Macarthur Region, including the Rydges Campbelltown, which was the event’s accommodation partner.
The 6+6H Solo Elite rider Andrew Hall cheekily summed it up on the podium, “I had a shower, twice, and slept in a real bed… I guess you all don’t want to hear that my room was air-conditioned too!” With 13 laps up his sleeve the Canberran had every right to relax over night and get some sleep over his lead of 3 laps on Chris Schofield from Como (NSW) and the third at the half-way mark, Michael Perry from Thirroul (NSW). After the re-starting procedure from 6 am Hall punched out another 13 laps and finished on a total of 26 laps in 24:26:02. Schofield and Perry finished finished in second and third place as expected on 20 laps each and with a gap of 15 minutes.
Decision time with three hours to go
It was at about 9am, just as the team riders got into their egg and bacon rolls to get some energy for those last few hours, that Chris Hanson caught up to Benjy Morris and lapped him.
“That was a critical point in my race – I knew if I stayed with him I had a real shot at winning the race and I stuck to that plan”, said Hanson of his race tactics. They had kept testing each other’s stamina to see if any one could get away from other one, however, soon decided it was wiser to stick together and enjoy the remainder of the race. “We had a good old chat out there and you could say that we became friends out there”, added Hanson of the last six laps before he crossed the finish line as the new JetBlack 24 Hour Champion.
And with his epic win, Chris Hanson breaks the winning streak of four-time JetBlack 24 Hour winner and 24H Solo World Champion Jason English from Port Macquarie, who had not been able to compete due to a recent collarbone injury.
Team spirit alive at JetBlack 24H
The most popular race classification with most riders competing in was the 24H Male Elite Team of 4 category. The “Ride Ettalong Elite 4” team with James Lamb, Matthew Gracie, Jon Bonham and Brett Vallance took out the win with 49 laps in 24:13:19. Many solo riders actually commented on being jealous of team riders who get a rest in between their stints out on course and can therefore really push themselves to the limit as soon as they hit the race track, whilst solo riders often need to pace themselves, especially early on in an event that goes on for 24 hours.
One team that certainly pushed themselves beyond anyone’s belief in the JetBlack 24H event centre was the Female Pair with Sophie Clement and Ronja Hill-Wright with Canberra who outperformed their male counterpart by eight laps, finishing on 38 laps in 23:52:35.
The team with most laps completed overall was one of the three teams by Rocky Trail’s designated charity, Pedal4Pierce, who raise awareness and funds to find a cure for Muscular Dystrophy by “riding for kids who can’t”. In the Male Team of 6 they had teamed up with the Onya Bike Belconnen/Civic bike store crew from Canberra who not only completed 55 laps in total to take the line honours and overall win, but who with team rider Lewy Cressy also clocked the fastest day and night laps as well.
“It was great to see how the entire event centre literally melted together into one huge team of racers that looked out for each other – we kept monitoring racers that were not as experienced through constant feedback from competitors, parents and support crews and even saw racers take out extra water for fellow riders”, said race organiser Martin Wisata of the camaraderie at the event. And this certainly is one of the many positive characteristics of the JetBlack 24 Hour race, which has established itself on the Australian endurance racing scene.
“We were almost at capacity this year and are looking forward to sharing this wonderful track and our passion for running events and mountain bike races with riders from all over Australia in 2013”, said Wisata, who added that he had already received interest from international riders as well. Next year the JetBlack 24 Hour Sydney race will return to The Australian Botanic Garden, Mt Annan with Rocky Trail Entertainment on the weekend of 30 November – 1 December.
JetBlack 24 Hour – Top results 2012
Solo Male Elite
1. Chris Hanson/ #17 / Rapid Creek, NT / 40 laps, 23:40:49
2. Benjy Morris / #2 / Shelley Beach, NSW / 39 laps, 23:40:47
3. Kevin Pullen / #22 / Hallett Cove, SA / 33 laps, 23:51:10
4. Andrew Wells / #7 / Randwick, NSW / 31 laps, 23:36:58
5. Tom Morris / #5 / Springwood, NSW / 27 laps, 23:55:08 / Team bigt390
Solo Male Master 40+
1. Clayton Locke / #28 / O’Malley, ACT / 30 laps, 22:52:56 / El Desperado Racing
2. Stephen Wells / #30 / Holbrook, NSW / 18 laps, 23:53:57 / Lone Star
3. Chris Hansen / #29 / South Penrith, NSW / 9 laps, 22:18:12 / Giddy Up MTB
Solo Female Master 40+
1. Meredith Quinlan / #26 / Normanhurst, NSW / 29 laps, 23:42:52
2. Paula Gresham / #27 / Lakelands, NSW / 9 laps, 24:00:23 / Princess Paula
Solo Male SuperMaster 50+
1. Peter Selkrig / # 32 / Kurri Kurri, NSW / 26 laps, 21:00:48 / AAA
2. Dale Klemke / # 34 / Woodford, NSW / 20 laps, 20:01:09 / Klonk
3. John Van Den Ham / #35 / 14 laps, 21:11:55 / Wingello Solo
Team 2 Male Elite
1. Team Ferguson Plarre Bake Hourses Mernda: Scott Blade and Scott Brown / 30 laps, 19:38:27
Team 2 Female Elite
1. Team I am a Princess: Sophie Clement and Ronja Hill-Wright / 38 laps, 23:52:35
Team 3 Male Elite
1. Team ADCC Racing: Kurt Menzies, Michael Crummy and Mark Astley / 44 laps, 22:59:59
Team 4 Male Elite
1. Team Ride Ettalong Elite 4: James Lamb, Matthew Gracie, Jon Bonham, Brett Vallance / 49 laps, 24:13:19
Overall most 24H laps completed and line honours:
1. Team 6 Mixed Open – Pedal4Pierce Onya Bike, Canberra
Lewis Cressy, Brad Morton, Blake Hore, Sean Martin, Aaron Thompson, Aaron Bashford / 55 laps, 24:05:44
Mercedes-Benz Vans Huntingwood 6+6 Hour – Top results 2012
6+6 Solo Male Elite
1. Andrew Hall / #704 / Ainslie, ACT / 26 laps, 24:26:02 / Cannondale-Cyclery Factory Racing
2. Chris Schofield / #733 / Como, NSW / 20 laps, 23:59:08
3. Michael Perry / #712 / Thirroul, NSW / 20 laps, 24:13:40
6+6 Solo Female Elite
1. Philippa Rostan / #716 / Sutton, NSW / 14 laps, 24:06:14
2. Leah Childs / #714 / Wingello, NSW / 11 laps, 23:05:29
6+6 Solo Male Master
1. Jamie Knobbs / #719 / Wilberforce, NSW / 18 laps, 23:45:23
2. Dougal Trrance / #724 / Higgins, ACT / 18 laps, 24:04:03 / Team Bio Racer
3. Stephen Alegria / #723 / Chapman, ACT / 17 laps, 24:04:13
Overall most 6+6H laps completed and line honours:
1. Team 4 Male Elite – Bakalar Beer Team, Sydney
Michal Burda, Marc de Geoffroy, Steven Billington, James Herron / 27 laps, 24:18:31
For full race results, visit www.rockytrailentertainment.com
Photos: Gilbert Romane / GiRo-Photo
The heatwave that paralysed the Sydney region didn’t turn out to be as hot as predicted in the event lead up, however, as more than 500 riders and their support crews arrived at The Australian Botanic Garden, Mt Annan on Saturday, it was clear that they were in for a tough race. As temperatures soared into the high 30’s the race went underway at midday and race marshals, first aid crews and garden rangers were out on track and on stand-by to assist riders.
“As race organisers, our main concern was the safety of our riders”, said Martin Wisata, race director from Rocky Trail Entertainment. “We kept reminding our riders to drink and to take extra water with them out on track. To ride for 24 hours non-stop is extreme to start with and the high temperatures were a real challenge for riders and support crews alike. We had showers installed and routed the race track right past them so that also the solo riders could get a quick cool-down in between laps.” Overall the participants had coped with the hot conditions well Wisata added and explained that mid-afternoon the decision was made to take the junior riders off the track to give them a rest.
Racer from Darwin embraces heat
It was one of the interstate riders that dealt with the hot conditions the best. Chris Hanson from Rapid Creek was in his element and took out the 2012 JetBlack 24 Hour Solo Elite title, completing 40 laps on the 8.5 km course at The Australian Botanic Garden, Mt Annan.
“I’m from Darwin so I know what the hot weather can do and what it is like to ride in temperatures like this”, said the 37-year old experienced endurance racer across the finish line. “I tried to pace myself during the day and when it started to cool down in the evening I felt really good and could put in some fast laps”, he added. Of the race track the commercial pilot said that it had been one of the best 24-hour courses he had ever ridden and very different from the flat circuits he was used to back home in the Northern Territory.
Right from the start Hanson had been riding in the top three with Andrew Lloyd from Newcastle leading the pack all afternoon and Sam Chancellor from Victoria on the chase. As night fell, Andrew Lloyd cracked and Chancellor took over the lead.
“Early on it seemed that some of the riders got really excited and smashed it, however, I tried to pace myself during the first hot hours on Saturday, but at night suddenly I hit the wall”, said Chancellor whose energy levels drastically dropped around midnight and an upset stomach forced him to retire from the race in the early hours of Sunday morning.
It was then that Chris Hanson’s strategy came through for him and by 6 am him and Benji Morris from the Central Coast were on an equal number of 29 lap, with Hanson having a 15 minute gap on Morris, who had finished as third solo elite racer at the JetBlack 24H race in 2011. Kevin Pullen from Hallet Cove (SA) was closing in as well, riding onto the third position on 24 laps up from being sixth overnight and the entire event centre saw an interstate solo battle unfold.
Social racing with Rocky Trail
More than a third of the entire field of racers competed in the Mercedes-Benz Vans Huntingwood 6+6 Hour racing categories. Promoted as the “more social” racing options the riders got to take a break overnight before recommencing their race from 6 am on Sunday morning. Many riders used the opportunity to stay in one of the many hotels of the Macarthur Region, including the Rydges Campbelltown, which was the event’s accommodation partner.
The 6+6H Solo Elite rider Andrew Hall cheekily summed it up on the podium, “I had a shower, twice, and slept in a real bed… I guess you all don’t want to hear that my room was air-conditioned too!” With 13 laps up his sleeve the Canberran had every right to relax over night and get some sleep over his lead of 3 laps on Chris Schofield from Como (NSW) and the third at the half-way mark, Michael Perry from Thirroul (NSW). After the re-starting procedure from 6 am Hall punched out another 13 laps and finished on a total of 26 laps in 24:26:02. Schofield and Perry finished finished in second and third place as expected on 20 laps each and with a gap of 15 minutes.
Decision time with three hours to go
It was at about 9am, just as the team riders got into their egg and bacon rolls to get some energy for those last few hours, that Chris Hanson caught up to Benjy Morris and lapped him.
“That was a critical point in my race – I knew if I stayed with him I had a real shot at winning the race and I stuck to that plan”, said Hanson of his race tactics. They had kept testing each other’s stamina to see if any one could get away from other one, however, soon decided it was wiser to stick together and enjoy the remainder of the race. “We had a good old chat out there and you could say that we became friends out there”, added Hanson of the last six laps before he crossed the finish line as the new JetBlack 24 Hour Champion.
And with his epic win, Chris Hanson breaks the winning streak of four-time JetBlack 24 Hour winner and 24H Solo World Champion Jason English from Port Macquarie, who had not been able to compete due to a recent collarbone injury.
Team spirit alive at JetBlack 24H
The most popular race classification with most riders competing in was the 24H Male Elite Team of 4 category. The “Ride Ettalong Elite 4” team with James Lamb, Matthew Gracie, Jon Bonham and Brett Vallance took out the win with 49 laps in 24:13:19. Many solo riders actually commented on being jealous of team riders who get a rest in between their stints out on course and can therefore really push themselves to the limit as soon as they hit the race track, whilst solo riders often need to pace themselves, especially early on in an event that goes on for 24 hours.
One team that certainly pushed themselves beyond anyone’s belief in the JetBlack 24H event centre was the Female Pair with Sophie Clement and Ronja Hill-Wright with Canberra who outperformed their male counterpart by eight laps, finishing on 38 laps in 23:52:35.
The team with most laps completed overall was one of the three teams by Rocky Trail’s designated charity, Pedal4Pierce, who raise awareness and funds to find a cure for Muscular Dystrophy by “riding for kids who can’t”. In the Male Team of 6 they had teamed up with the Onya Bike Belconnen/Civic bike store crew from Canberra who not only completed 55 laps in total to take the line honours and overall win, but who with team rider Lewy Cressy also clocked the fastest day and night laps as well.
“It was great to see how the entire event centre literally melted together into one huge team of racers that looked out for each other – we kept monitoring racers that were not as experienced through constant feedback from competitors, parents and support crews and even saw racers take out extra water for fellow riders”, said race organiser Martin Wisata of the camaraderie at the event. And this certainly is one of the many positive characteristics of the JetBlack 24 Hour race, which has established itself on the Australian endurance racing scene.
“We were almost at capacity this year and are looking forward to sharing this wonderful track and our passion for running events and mountain bike races with riders from all over Australia in 2013”, said Wisata, who added that he had already received interest from international riders as well. Next year the JetBlack 24 Hour Sydney race will return to The Australian Botanic Garden, Mt Annan with Rocky Trail Entertainment on the weekend of 30 November – 1 December.
JetBlack 24 Hour – Top results 2012
Solo Male Elite
1. Chris Hanson/ #17 / Rapid Creek, NT / 40 laps, 23:40:49
2. Benjy Morris / #2 / Shelley Beach, NSW / 39 laps, 23:40:47
3. Kevin Pullen / #22 / Hallett Cove, SA / 33 laps, 23:51:10
4. Andrew Wells / #7 / Randwick, NSW / 31 laps, 23:36:58
5. Tom Morris / #5 / Springwood, NSW / 27 laps, 23:55:08 / Team bigt390
Solo Male Master 40+
1. Clayton Locke / #28 / O’Malley, ACT / 30 laps, 22:52:56 / El Desperado Racing
2. Stephen Wells / #30 / Holbrook, NSW / 18 laps, 23:53:57 / Lone Star
3. Chris Hansen / #29 / South Penrith, NSW / 9 laps, 22:18:12 / Giddy Up MTB
Solo Female Master 40+
1. Meredith Quinlan / #26 / Normanhurst, NSW / 29 laps, 23:42:52
2. Paula Gresham / #27 / Lakelands, NSW / 9 laps, 24:00:23 / Princess Paula
Solo Male SuperMaster 50+
1. Peter Selkrig / # 32 / Kurri Kurri, NSW / 26 laps, 21:00:48 / AAA
2. Dale Klemke / # 34 / Woodford, NSW / 20 laps, 20:01:09 / Klonk
3. John Van Den Ham / #35 / 14 laps, 21:11:55 / Wingello Solo
Team 2 Male Elite
1. Team Ferguson Plarre Bake Hourses Mernda: Scott Blade and Scott Brown / 30 laps, 19:38:27
Team 2 Female Elite
1. Team I am a Princess: Sophie Clement and Ronja Hill-Wright / 38 laps, 23:52:35
Team 3 Male Elite
1. Team ADCC Racing: Kurt Menzies, Michael Crummy and Mark Astley / 44 laps, 22:59:59
Team 4 Male Elite
1. Team Ride Ettalong Elite 4: James Lamb, Matthew Gracie, Jon Bonham, Brett Vallance / 49 laps, 24:13:19
Overall most 24H laps completed and line honours:
1. Team 6 Mixed Open – Pedal4Pierce Onya Bike, Canberra
Lewis Cressy, Brad Morton, Blake Hore, Sean Martin, Aaron Thompson, Aaron Bashford / 55 laps, 24:05:44
Mercedes-Benz Vans Huntingwood 6+6 Hour – Top results 2012
6+6 Solo Male Elite
1. Andrew Hall / #704 / Ainslie, ACT / 26 laps, 24:26:02 / Cannondale-Cyclery Factory Racing
2. Chris Schofield / #733 / Como, NSW / 20 laps, 23:59:08
3. Michael Perry / #712 / Thirroul, NSW / 20 laps, 24:13:40
6+6 Solo Female Elite
1. Philippa Rostan / #716 / Sutton, NSW / 14 laps, 24:06:14
2. Leah Childs / #714 / Wingello, NSW / 11 laps, 23:05:29
6+6 Solo Male Master
1. Jamie Knobbs / #719 / Wilberforce, NSW / 18 laps, 23:45:23
2. Dougal Trrance / #724 / Higgins, ACT / 18 laps, 24:04:03 / Team Bio Racer
3. Stephen Alegria / #723 / Chapman, ACT / 17 laps, 24:04:13
Overall most 6+6H laps completed and line honours:
1. Team 4 Male Elite – Bakalar Beer Team, Sydney
Michal Burda, Marc de Geoffroy, Steven Billington, James Herron / 27 laps, 24:18:31
For full race results, visit www.rockytrailentertainment.com
Photos: Gilbert Romane / GiRo-Photo